1. If you’re on OW, tell your OW worker

If you're getting financial assistance from Ontario Works (OW), the OW office has to start your application to the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP).

Tell your OW worker that you want to apply for income support from ODSP.

OW will ask you to give them updated information that shows you still qualify financially, unless you've done this within the last 3 months.

Getting the Disability Determination Package

The OW office gives you a Disability Determination Package, which has forms that ask about your health.

These forms have to be completed and sent to the Disability Adjudication Unit so they can decide if you meet the definition of a person with a disability.

If you don’t have to prove that you have a disability

Some people can get income support from ODSP without having to prove that they meet the ODSP definition of a “person with a disability”.

This might apply to you if you're in one of the following groups:

• you get disability benefits from the Canada Pension Plan (CPP-D) or the Québec Pension Plan
• you're over 65 years old but are not eligible for Old Age Security
• you live in certain kinds of:
  • hospitals that treat people with mental health issues
  • special care homes
• you get services or support because you have a developmental disability, whether you:
  • own or rent a home
  • live in a group home
  • live in housing where you get support
• you used to live in what's called a developmental services institution
• you used to get Family Benefits and were transferred to ODSP

If any of the above apply to you, your OW worker sends your application for income support to your ODSP office for them to deal with.

And you don't have to complete a Disability Determination Package.

There are also special rules that apply if you:

• used to get ODSP income support
• stopped getting it
• need to get it again